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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04/06/2000 • Minutes of a Regular Meeting April 6, 2000 Town of Los Altos Hills City Council Regular Meeting Thursday, April 6, 2000, 6:00 P.M. Council Chambers, 26379 Fremont Road 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Mayor Dauber called the Regular Meeting of the City Council to order at 6:04 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Town Hall. Present: Mayor Dauber and Councilmembers Cheng and Finn Absent: Councilmembers Casey and Johnson Staff: City Manager Mark Miller, City Attorney Sandy Sloan, Planning Director Curtis Williams, Public Works Manager Jim Rasp and • City Clerk Pat Dowd Press: Clyde Noel, Los Altos Town Crier 2. APPOINTMENTS AND PRESENTATIONS 3. PLANNING COMMISSION REPORT The Planning Director reported that the following issues were discussed at the March 22, 2000 Planning Commission Meeting: Lands of Trifelos and Ryan, 13581 Wildcrest Drive: request for a site development permit for a 2,245 square foot addition with a maximum height of 27 feet — approved; and a continued discussion of development criteria for constrained lots. 4. CONSENT CALENDAR Items Removed: 4.1 and 4.2 (Dauber) MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Finn, seconded by Casey and passed unanimously by all members present to approve the balance of the Consent Calendar, specifically: 4.3 Issued Proclamation: Honoring Sylvia McLaughlin for her 38 years of service to Save the Bay and its Board of Directors _ April 6, 2000 Regular City Council Meeting 1 i • 4.4 Accepted Quarry Hills Subdivision Improvements, Lands of Vidovich, and Sewer Improvements through Juan Prado Preserve—Reso #23-00 4.5 Approved site development permit for single story major addition, carport and basement, Lands of Ballard, 26117 Todd Lane (Fast Track) 4.5 Accepted grant of Conservation Easement,Lands of Owen, 27466 Sunrise Farm Road—Reso #24-00 4.7 Awarded Certificate of Appreciation: Dexter Hake, Environmental Design and Protection Committee Items Removed: 4.1 Approval of Minutes: March 16, 2000 (Regular Meeting) March 22, 2000 (Special Meeting) PASSED BY CONSENSUS: To continue item 4.1 as there was not a majority of Councilmembers present who had been at the March Council Meetings. 4.2 Approval of Warrants: $395,543.37 (3/11/00—3/31/00) • Cheng questioned the dental expense payments and staff explained the dental reimbursement benefit. Dauber also questioned the reimbursement to the Utility and Information Systems Committee and was advised that this committee had an approved budget for committee related expenses. PASSED BY CONSENSUS: Council agreed that all committees should get approval from the City Manager prior to incurring committee related expenses. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Dauber, seconded by Finn and passed unanimously to approve the warrants in the amount of $395,543.37 (3/11/00 — 3/31/00). 5. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 5.1 Discussion of Election Signs Finn referred to the bad behavior during the recent campaign concerning the candidates' election signs. He believed the Town should be above such pettiness and fighting. He urged that the election process be respected and good fair campaign practices be followed by all those involved in a campaign. Dauber noted that in the past candidates had agreed to not have election signs, to limit campaign spending, etc. She suggested that future candidates meet to discuss such groundrules. • April 6, 2000 Regular City Council Meeting 2 • The City Attorney stated that legally the Council could not prevent election signs in the Town. However, there was an ordinance in place which clearly stated where they could and could not be placed. Specifically, they could be placed on private property with the owners' consent but not on public property. Betsy Bertram, 11854 Page Mill Road, asked for clarification of placement of election signs in easements and the City Attorney referred her to the code section on election signs for clarification. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Dauber, seconded by Finn and passed unanimously by all members present to recommend that the candidates establish a code of good campaign behavior amongst themselves. 6. NEW BUSINESS 6.1 Adoption of Resolution in support of AB 114, as requested by ABAG,to amend rules for the replacement of overhead electric and communications facilities with underground facilities—Reso # MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Cheng, seconded by Finn and passed unanimously by all members present to adopt Resolution #25-00 to expedite • implementation of AB 1149 which recognizes the need to amend rules for the replacement of overhead electric and communications facilities. 6.2 Policy regarding driveway width and development area calculations The Planning Director referred to the following proposed change to the policy regarding driveway width and development area calculations: Development area for driveways shall not include driveway width in excess of ten feet, up to the maximum required by the Fire Department (generally fourteen feet), if such additional width is composed of semi- permeable materials, including but not limited to decomposed granite, turf6lock, grasscrete, or grasscell, etc., and the material is acceptable to the Fire Department and the City Engineer. He noted that staff has discussed this change with the Fire Department and they in general concurred with it on a case by case basis. They expressed their concerns about what kinds of materials they would be jumping out of their vehicles onto and also the maintenance of these materials. MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED: Moved by Finn, seconded by Dauber and passed unanimously by all members present to continue discussion of the proposed policy change for discussion by the full Council and also to schedule attendance by representatives from the Fire Department to answer questions on this and other related issues such as slope. 6.3 Recommendation for Council agreement to accept a proposed sanitary sewer lift station as public April 6,2000 Regular City Council Meeting 3 • Council had before them staffs report which noted that Mr. Askari had submitted an application for the subdivision of property on Elena Road. He intended to provide sewer service to this subdivision by installing a sewer main within Elena Road, a pump station on Purissima Road and installing a force main that would connect to the existing sewer main in La Cresta Drive. If this system were put in as a private system, approximately fifteen parcels would be served. However, due to the planned location of the lift station, the service area for the lift station could include up to 125 parcels if developed to its' fullest potential. Therefore, staff believed that the system should be constructed to the standards of a public sanitary sewer lift station and be accepted for public maintenance after a two-year warranty period. Finn believed more information was needed on this issue and the big picture should be considered rather than this one case. He noted this could be a $1 million expenditure if done throughout the Town and asked for cost numbers to justify such an expenditure. Susan Roberts, Giuliani & Kull, noted that the estimated cost of the lift station was $100,000 to $130,000 with a cost of$20,000 to $30,000 per pump. She also commented on the maintenance costs of septic systems,the development constraints imposed by leach fields and use of auxiliary power for lift stations. Mr. Askari believed it was economical to put in a lift station and would be a win-win • situation for all as the neighbors were all interested in hooking up to sewer. Les Earnest, 12769 Dianne Drive, referred to the lift station on O'Keefe and its several malfunctions which resulted in raw sewage into Purissima Creek. He urged Council to assess the environmental costs of such a project. PASSED BY CONSENSUS: To continue discussion of this item and to direct staff to bring back a report on the pros and cons of accepting a lift station as public; the costs of such a project and alternatives. 6.4 Request from the Horsemens' Association for Town support of potential recreational programs at Westwind Barn Rebecca Hickman, 26500 Purissima Road and Bullis Parent, addressed the Council on proposed recreational programs for the residents of the Town. She outlined the following programs which would be run by volunteers: Horsemanship Camp (Westwind Barn), Ohlone Camp (Westwind Barn and environs), Artists' Worshop (Westwind Barn) and a Dog Hike in the Hills (Westwind Barn). Mrs. Hickman noted that a group of parents had been working on these programs and with the help of the Council hoped to have them in place this summer. She further noted that they had made a presentation on these programs to the Town's Pathways, Recreation and Parks Committee and had received their support. At this time they were asking Council to carry the liability insurance for the April 6, 2000 Regular City Council Meeting 4 • programs, handle the mailing costs for the program offerings andp rovide an initial fund of $1,500 for start-up costs such as supplies and instructors' fees. Mrs. Hickman commented that fees would be charged to attend and they believed that over time these programs would pay for themselves. Jane Kawasaki, representing the Horsemens' Association, outlined the proposed summer horsemanship camp tentatively planned for the first week in August. This camp would take place at Westwind Barn, would be one week long for a maximum of ten children age seven and up, and would cost $100 to $125 per person. She reiterated Mrs. Hickman's request for Council support for these programs. Council thanked both Mrs. Hickman and Mrs. Kawasaki for their impressive work in putting together these recreational opportunities for the residents of the Town. They agreed in concept with the requests. Council further discussed the role of the current Pathways Recreation and Parks Committee and whether it should be expanded to include more members to work specifically on recreation issues or whether a separate committee on recreation should be established. Finn and Cheng stated their preference that a separate committee on recreation be formed and its charges be drafted by Cheng and brought to the next Council Meeting for review. It was agreed to agendize this discussion for the next Council Meeting. PASSED BY CONCENSUS: To agree in concept with the recreational programs • �' P p g proposed by Mrs. Hickman and Mrs. Kawasaki; to discuss allocating funds for these programs during budget discussions for FY00-01; to direct staff to look into liability coverage with ABAG; and to agendize for the next Council Meeting the possible formation of a new recreation committee. 7. REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES, SUB-COMMITTEES, AND COUNCILMEMBERS ON OUTSIDE AGENCIES 8. STAFF REPORTS 8.1 City Manager 8.1.1 Planning Director Interviews The City Manager noted that interviews for the Planning Director position were scheduled over the next two weeks. S.1.2 Fire Hydrants/Sprinklers—Quarry Subdivision The City Manager commented that he had met with representatives from the Fire Department concerning the issue of fire hydrants/ sprinklers in the Quarry Subdivision. There were enough fire hydrants in the subdivision but the issue was the distance from April 6, 2000 Regular City Council Meeting 5 • the roads to the houses. The representatives from the Fire Department commented that malfunctions from sprinklers were few and far between. Furthermore they stated that they were available to meet individually with homeowners in the subdivisions to discuss their particular lots. 8.1.3 Sun Country Cable The City Manager noted that Sun Country Cable was presently late in paying their franchise fee to the Town and it was possible they were under new ownership. He would be discussing these issues with Sun Country and would be reporting back to Council. 8.2 City Attorney 8.3 City Clerk 8.3.1 Report on Council Correspondence 9. COUNCIL-INITIATED ITEMS 9.1 Emergency Preparedness Council—FEMA Regulations (Dauber) • Dauber reported that at the Emergency Preparedness Council Meeting which she had attended a discussion took place on proposed FEMA regulations which would require earthquake insurance on public buildings. It was agreed staff would look into this issue and if they believed it was necessary agendize the matter for Council discussion. 9.2 Y2K (Dauber) Dauber commented that the County had spent$29 million on the Y2K issue. 9.3 Library—Unions (Dauber) Dauber reported that the County had settled the union issues concerning the libraries. 9.4 Reach V Project(Dauber) Dauber reported that this project would not be started this year and a redesign of the project would be discussed. 9.5 Pathway Issue (Cheng) Cheng raised the issue of the path on her property and noted that she had not received a • written report on this matter. If staff was unable to resolve the path issue, Council had April 6, 2000 Regular City Council Meeting 6 agreed at an earlier meeting that this matter would be brought back to the Council for review. 10. PRESENTATIONS FROM THE FLOOR Les Earnest, 12769 Dianne Drive, referred to a recommendation made some time ago by the Technology Improvement Committee that the Town computerize its records. At that time the estimated cost was about $75,000. They believed that this project would make records more accessible to the public and would safeguard the Town's records. No action was taken on this request at that time but Mr. Earnest suggested that an up-to-date study be conducted on this issue. The City Manager responded that this project was included in the proposed budget for FY 00-01. Les Earnest, 12769 Dianne Drive; Scott Vanderlip, 13851 Fremont Pines Lane; and Diane Barrager, 13220 Robleda Road addressed the Council concerning the action taken at the March 16, 2000 Council Meeting to require a path in lieu fee rather than construction of a type IIB path along Liddicoat Circle on the Lands of Humble. They questioned whether this was a change in policy or an isolated case. They asked Council to agendize a statement of what the policy was on roadside paths. 11. PUBLIC HEARINGS • 12. ADJOURNMENT There being no further new or old business to discuss, the City Council Meeting was adjourned at 7:55 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Patricia Dowd City Clerk The minutes of the April 6, 2000 City Council Meeting were approved at the May 4, 2000 City Council Meeting. • April 6, 2000 Regular City Council Meeting 7